PM attends cremation ceremony of Cambodian King Father

(VOV) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Monday evening attended the cremation ceremony of Cambodia’s King Father Norodom Sihanouk. In the morning, Prime Minister Dung met with Prime Minister Hun Sen and extended sincere condolences from the Vietnamese leaders and people to the Cambodian Royal family, leaders, and people on the decease of former King Norodom Sihanouk. The two Prime Ministers discussed measures to expand their traditional relationship and comprehensive cooperation in the future. At a meeting with French Prime Minister Jean Marc Ayrault, who is also in Cambodia for the cremation ceremony, Dung said Vietnam cares about developing its fine relationship with France. He repeated that France is Vietnam’s top partner in the EU and that 2013 will be a key year for the two countries to upgrade bilateral ties to a strategic partnership on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Earlier the same day, he visited a Vietnam-invested fertilizer factory in Cambodia. The International Five Star Fertilizer factory received 67 million USD from Vietnamese investors and has been in operation since last December. The Prime Minister spoke at the factory. “Almost all Vietnamese businesses are doing well in Cambodia. The most outstanding company is Viettel, which has gained a major share of the local telecommunications market. Cooperation between the Vietnam and Cambodian airlines has been productive in the first year of operation. Branches of Vietnamese commercial banks in Cambodia are also doing very well. Prime Minister Hun Sen praised Vietnam’s investment.”